The present invention relates generally to systems for loading and unloading materials from a cargo area of a vehicle. More particularly, this invention pertains to systems for sliding loads into and/or out of cargo areas of vehicles.
Pickup truck beds are difficult to get items, particularly large items, into and out of. Items that do not remain close to the rear of pickup truck bed (i.e., near the tailgate), or items that are heavy and have to be lifted over the sides of the bed are particularly difficult to load and unload. Utility style beds with high sides used as storage cabinets are particularly difficult to load and unload.
Cargo loading and unloading trays are fitted to a vehicle's cargo area to provide a new floor for the vehicle's cargo area above the stock floor. Cargo is placed on the tray, the tray is slid into the cargo area, the vehicle transports the cargo to a new location, and the tray is slid out of the cargo area to allow easy access to the transported cargo. Cargo trays are basically not useable unless the vehicle is on level ground. If there is cargo in the tray, the weight makes it difficult or impossible to release the latch mechanism. If and when the latch mechanism is released, the cargo will slide in the direction gravity pulls it. If the truck (or van) is facing downhill, the tray cannot be pulled out of the bed manually. If the truck is facing uphill and a user manages to release the latch, the cargo and tray will slide freely out of the bed, typically knocking the user to the ground, and sometimes dumping the cargo on the tray off the back of the tray (potentially onto the user). Some manufactures have integrated electric motors and gear boxes or hydraulic rams to extend and retract the tray, but they are costly and when they malfunction, the tray is stuck in its current position which is typically in the closed or retracted position, making servicing the system very difficult (because the motors and/or hydraulics are covered by the tray). This makes the cargo area unusable, and if the tray is tuck in the extended position, the vehicle may not be safe to drive due to its additional length and the distribution of weight. A cargo tray typically has a number of locking positions between fully extended and fully retracted. These intermediary locking positions are typically spaced several inches apart such that the tray has a finite number of positions when in use. Cargo trays can also be stolen by extending the tray and removing bolts securing the tray to the cargo area.